Calm is good for yoga and dogs

Nearly all people who share their lives with dogs have experienced a pivotal training moment.

You politely ask your dog to Sit for his dinner, or Stay so you can pick a piece of lint off the floor, or Come to you so you can lock up the house and get going.

And your normally compliant dog completely and utterly IGNORES you.

If she looks at you at all, its with the maddeningly limpid gaze that says “Yeah, I hear you, and I could care.” But she probably doesn’t even waste her time with a glimpse in your direction. She’ll just keep on doing whatever terribly important thing she is doing before you made your request.

Yes, it IS infuriating.

You want to yell. You want to repeat her name in shrill, demanding tones. You want to grab her by her collar and manhandle her into a Sit, a Stay, or a Come. You want to call up your significant other and tell them what THEIR dog did, which, of course, is all THEIR fault for getting the dog/not properly training the dog/never being around to help with the dog when you need it/ad nauseum.

I know.

And so, the very last thing you want anyone to tell you at your moment of deepest dog despair is to be the C word: Calm.

For one, anger and its manifestations (screaming, stomping around, etc) can actually scare your dog. And possibly your other family members.

Also, this type of response does not set a good example for your offspring on how to handle frustration.

And finally, going off the deep end over an unresponsive dog achieves nothing. It does not make your dog suddenly come to his senses and salute you.

Here is what to do:

Stand up tall.

Square your shoulders and take a deep breath.

….calm….

If you need a break, walk away for a moment to get your act together.

Now, think back to how you started training your dog.

You used normal, not harsh, voice tones, accompanied by the appropriate hand signal for Sit and Stay.

You crouched down to get your dog to Come.

You praised your dog when she did what was asked. You probably followed up the praise with a treat.

If your dog did not comply, you patiently attached her to a leash, and practiced the behavior a couple of times.

If you are saying “But she KNOWS how to do all that! Why should I have to start all over again?”

Your dog is a living, breathing creature. She has her own mind and her own priorities. While 99% of the time, she will do what you want and be happy to do it, she’s not perfect. Sometimes we humans don’t want to do what we’re told, either. So consider this to be a mere blip in the long and lovely life you and your dog have together. Guide her to do the behavior you want, reward her, and move on.